KENDALL
OCTOBER
Mom, Dad and I are walking from the parking garage to Madison Square Garden, following the heard of people in blue jerseys. Hockey season is back in full swing, and tonight the Ducks are playing the Rangers so of course we're going to cheer on Trevor.
And Jamie.
I'm a few steps behind my parents with my phone to my ear.
"We're walking up 8th right now, where are you?" I say into the phone.
"Wait I think I see you," Davey responds.
Okay so uhm, my parents got four tickets for the game because Griffin was supposed to be home for our birthday, which was two days ago. But the idiot stayed out late celebrating with his friends last night and missed his flight this morning. So they told me to invite Mallory but she couldn't get off work. But we are gonna meet up for dinner after the game.
And since Mal couldn't come I invited Davey. We've been texting a lot since the funeral.
"You are not," I look up at him, narrowing my eyes as I slide my phone back into my purse.
"I can't betray my home team!" Davey smiles holding his arms out at his sides, showing off his bright blue Rangers jersey. He's layered a grey hoodie underneath.
While I'm wearing a bright orange Ducks jersey that falls a couple inches above my knees so it's like a dress. I'm wearing black tights underneath, with black knee high boots.
"What a disappointment," I shake my head.
"Mom, Dad!" I call after them as Davey and I catch up to them, "This is Davey."
"I remember you," Mom smiles as she and Davey shake hands, "Nice to see you again."
"It's nice to see you both again," Davey smiles as he shakes hands with my Dad.
"Nice jersey," Dad nods and actually means it. Davey's wearing a Gretzky jersey.
"Thanks, it was my Dad's," Davey says as we all start towards the entrance, "He got to see him play here a few times."
"We should of invited him," Dad laughs.
"Dad," I snap. Davey lost his dad to cancer in high school and I know Dad knows that. But just like Trevor, Dad just says whatever comes to his mind. Where do you think Trev got it from?
"It's okay," Davey glances at me then back to my dad, "He passed a few years ago."
I can see my Dad's face drop as he says, "I am so sorry."
"All good," Davey smiles as we get into the security lines.
I lean over and whisper, "I'm sorry about that."
He turns to look down at me with a small smile.
Damn he's cute. Was he always this cute? Like he was cute in high school but something has changed since we graduated. His dirty blonde hair is a little long on the top, kind of like Trevor's but shorter on the sides. He's got these light brown eyes that kind of reflect green and yellow, that are framed by his glasses.
"Don't worry about it."
We make it through security and down to our seats, we're sitting a few row up from the Duck's bench. But my parents are sitting in the two seats a in front of us since there weren't four in a row together when they bought the tickets.
"I'm gonna go grab a snack," I look over at Davey as I reach for my purse from under my seat, "Want anything?"
"Sure, I'll come with," he nods, starting to stand up.
I tell my parents where we're going and ask if they want anything. Mom wants a pretzel with cheese and Dad wants a box of popcorn, which I should of guessed because they always get the same things anytime we go to a game.
Davey and I make our way up the stairs to the corridors where people are still filing in from outside and walking every which way in the hallway.
"Whatever you want, it's on me," Davey says as we step into line.
"You don't have to do that," I look away from the menu and at him.
"Consider it a late birthday gift," he smiles, putting his arm around my shoulders and giving me a squeeze.
"Thank you," I give in and lean towards him.
I need the distraction, because all I've been able to think about all week is how Jamie is here. He's somewhere in this building right now.
It's been almost three months since I left LA and we've both kept up our promise of not contacting each other. Even though it did cross my mind a few times to text him, especially when he was only a couple hour flight away in Toronto.
It doesn't help that my brother will randomly send me pictures and videos of them all the time. Like a few weeks ago Jamie bought a freaking grill and Trevor sent me a video of Jamie trying to use it. Along with a text that said 'send help he's gonna burn the house down.'
Ugh I miss LA. I miss not having to work everyday, I just want to feel as relaxed as I did then.
Davey and I get the snacks and make our way back to our seats right as both teams are skating onto the ice for warmups.
I'm scanning the ice for my brother but I find Terry first, then Strome, and then Jamie. I just stare at the 6 on his back, following it as he skates right up to my brother. I watch Trevor say something that makes Jamie shake his head.
"So if the Rangers win what do I get?" Davey says, breaking my trance.
I turn to look at him and half smile, "What do you want?"
"A date," he smirks.
I'm not against that.
"Okay," I glance back out at the ice, "What do I get it the Ducks win?"
"Okay let's stay realistic," he chuckles.
"Hey!" I scoff turning back to him, "It's possible!"
"Free cupcakes for a year," he smiles. His grandmother and mother own a little bakery back in Bedford. Their cupcakes are my weakness, they're moist and gooey at the same time with the lightest whipped cream cheese frosting that just the thought of them is making me drool right how.
"Deal," I put my hand out for him to shake, which he does, sealing the deal.
-
Davey and I spend the whole game teasing each other any time literally anything happens.
His team starts to make a play towards the net? I try to cover his eyes and block his view. My team body checks his? He says it should be a penalty. And every time a team scores we celebrate and rub it in the others face. Which he got to do three times and I only got to do twice.
And now we're just waiting for some of the crowd to clear out before we get to go down to the locker room to see Trevor.
The Ducks are playing the Islanders tomorrow night, so they won't be in a rush to get out. Mom and Dad are going to that game too but I couldn't get two days off in a row so I won't be going.
"So," Davey stretches and rests his arm behind me on the chair, which isn't the first move he or I have made tonight.
He pulled out this move during the first period. Then during the intermission when we went to get drinks I held his hand as we weaved through the crowd. During the third period his hand found its way to my thigh, which turned into my hand on his and then into us holding hands.
It's been fun flirting all night, it's a much distraction from him.
"When am I gonna get that date?"
"What dinner with Mal and Finn doesn't count?" I tease, looking over at him.
After we say hi to my brother we're going to meet up with our friends for dinner and maybe go out. It's a little after nine pm on a Saturday night in New York City, the night's just starting. Plus we've all got fakes and Davey said one of this friend's frats was throwing a party tonight, so we'll see where the night takes us.
He shakes his head laughing, "No."
"Well the rules weren't very specific," I nudge him with my elbow.
"Trevor just texted," Mom says standing in the aisle a few steps up from where we're sitting.
And then we're following a security guard under the arena towards the visitors locker room.
"This is crazy," Davey says in awe, taking in the Ranger's timeline of their team history that lines the hallway.
My parents are at the end of the hallway chatting while we all wait for Trevor to come out of the locker room.
"I know, in one of the conference rooms they have signed jerseys from all of their legends," I say as he bends over to read a plaque on the wall.
"Is that Little Z?"
I know exactly who it is based on that nickname, Mason McTavish. He gave me the nickname over the summer, his explanation was "because we call Trevor 'Z' so why not make you 'Little Z' since you're his younger sister," and those were his exact words. It's also not fair because I'm older than him.
I look down the hallway to see two people walking towards us Mason and Jamie.
Oh my god, Jamie.
I freeze for a second, not knowing what to do with myself but I quickly pull myself back together.
"It's been a long time," Mason says as we share a quick side hug.
"How've you been?" I ask him, avoiding looking at Jamie even though he's standing right beside him.
"Good, busy but it's nice to be on the ice again," Mason nods.
"Uhm this," I turn over my shoulder and reach for Davey's hand pulling him next to me, he stands closer then I expect but oh well, "This is Davey," I introduce him.
"Davey, this is Mason," I point to the curly haired boy.
"And Jamie," I look at Jamie for the first time since he walked up.
His hair longer then it was when I left LA. He looks exhausted from the game but it makes me just wanna wrap my arms around him.
I miss him.
I make the mistake of glancing at his lips. Fuck. Every moment we shared flashes in my brain, when we first kissed against his car, every time we went for a late night drive, hanging out on the roof, in his bedroom, in my bedroom. I miss him.
"Mom! Dad!" I hear my brother's voice and we all turn around.
Thank god, I don't know how much longer I could of stood there.
"Kenny!" He adds when he sees me.
"It was nice to see you both," I wave at Mason and Jamie before taking Davey's hand and pulling him towards my family.